British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has condemned what she described as racist attacks against her following controversial remarks by Raheem Kassam, a former senior aide to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who referred to her as a “Nigerian scammer”.
Badenoch said the comments reflected an attempt to exploit her Nigerian heritage for political advantage, insisting that such attacks would not succeed in undermining her position.
She made the remarks during an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, October 29, 2026, after Kassam published a series of social media posts targeting her.
Kassam, a former editor-in-chief of Breitbart News, described Badenoch as an “unrelenting scammer” and questioned why people continued to trust her, warning them against giving her their credit card and bank account details.
Reacting to the comments, Badenoch said the attacks demonstrated the attitude of those making them and suggested that some political figures believed references to her background could improve their standing.
“Britain is not a racist country, and because it’s not a racist country, their racist attacks and using my race as an attack form is not going to work,” she said.
Badenoch Accuses Reform Figures of Focusing on Personal Attacks
The Conservative leader also criticized Reform UK politicians for concentrating on attacks against her rather than discussing policies to improve the lives of British citizens.
She argued that the controversy reflected a broader political problem in which personal attacks and divisive rhetoric risk taking attention away from issues affecting the public.
Badenoch has previously criticized Reform UK over comments about race and national identity, particularly discussions that she believes question the place of people from minority backgrounds in British society.
Jenrick Refuses to Describe Remarks as Racist
The controversy intensified after Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, declined to condemn Kassam’s comments as racist during an ITV interview.
Jenrick said the remarks could be considered unpleasant or rude but argued that he was not responsible for policing every social media post made by people who might support Reform UK.
He also referred to a separate controversy involving Badenoch’s claim that she had received an offer from Stanford University at the age of 16 to undertake a pre-medical course. Badenoch has maintained that she received the offer but said she no longer has the relevant documents.
Farage Says Comment Went Too Far
Farage also faced questions about Kassam’s remarks during an appearance on BBC Breakfast.
The Reform UK leader said he did not believe the comments were intentionally racist, although he acknowledged that they were excessive.
The controversy has renewed scrutiny of Reform UK’s handling of race-related disputes and the conduct of individuals associated with its leadership.
Kassam has defended his remarks as a joke, while the debate has continued over whether references to Badenoch’s Nigerian background reinforced harmful racial stereotypes.
Political Tensions Continue
The dispute comes amid growing competition between the Conservatives and Reform UK for support among British voters, particularly those dissatisfied with the country’s political establishment.
Badenoch’s response has placed race and political accountability at the centre of the latest confrontation between the two parties.
Her position is that criticism of her political record should not be tied to her heritage, while the wider controversy has raised questions about the boundaries of political rhetoric and the responsibility of party leaders to challenge discriminatory language.
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